SSQA Carry-All

[LukyNumbrkevin]

Good Morning Guys,

I wanted to run an idea I had by you guys and get your thoughts. I have a Kubota BX23s and I use the back-hoe often. I also like to bring chains, chainsaw, fuel, chain-oil, hand-tools, cement mixer, backpack blower, materials, etc... out into the field and the multiple trips with the little 48" loader bucket get old quick and I worry about damaging my chainsaw and backpack blower. Since I use the BH often and it is not efficient to remove and install the 3-point I am thinking a 3-point carry all would not be used often enough. A SSQA Carry-all on the other hand would serve the same purpose while allowing me to quickly drop the carry-all off of the SSQA and quickly reinstall the loader bucket and get to work quicker.

I already have a SSQA blank plate from Titan on the way. I plan on the inner dimensions being around 6' wide x 30" deep with a slot to protect the chainsaw and maybe some hooks to secure the backpack blower from banging around in transport on uneven terrain.

Here is my design, let me know what you guys think, tear it apart. I want to hear what wont work on this and figure out the final design before I start building.

 

[snymat68]

Your design looks good. One tweak I would make if it was mine would be to have square ends instead of triangles. It would help retain stuff better and give more attachment points if needed.

I know you already have the SSQA plate ordered, but did you know these exist?
Alternatively, if you have a welder (or a friend that does) you could just buy a quick hitch and weld it to the SSQA plate you already have coming.

From Universal Quick Tach To 3-Point Quick Hitch Adapter

If you go that route it would give you more utility.
You could use a standard 3pt carryall frame to build your carryall. Then you would have the option to use it on either end of the tractor in the future.
It would also let you easily move other 3pt attachments around and/or lift and store them on pallet racking (given proper rear ballast when lifting, of course).

Just some things to think about. What you have is definitely a good design though!

 

[groundcover]

I would have gone with a set of forks and build the box that could be picked with them. Set down the box and have the tractor free to help with the work.

 

[LukyNumbrkevin]

I thought about both of those options but cost is prohibitive on both the Universal Quick Tach To 3-Point Quick Hitch Adapter ($350 minimum) & a new set of pallet forks ($700 minimum).

The SSQA plate cost about $135 shipped and I have enough Pressure Treated Scrap on hand to build the box for free. I would love some pallet forks but right now the finance committee would have a cow if any more attachments showed up at the front doorstep.

 

[snymat68]

I would have gone with a set of forks and build the box that could be picked with them. Set down the box and have the tractor free to help with the work.

I like that idea. Forks are so useful anyway.

 

[BLSXJ]

I've had similar thoughts for carrying all my chain saw gear (2 saws, gas, oil, files, wedges, rope etc) One thought I'd had was to build a bit of a work surface... so I wasn't doing everything on the ground.

I'd also add a lip to the front, to help keep stuff in.

I'd also think a little about how I could sit on while taking a break.

 

[Tomtint]

If I were to build one for the front. I would make it so that I could keep the bucket on the tractor and be able to hook the top of the back bucket lip onto the carry all and pick it up. Then be able to set it down when I got to where I was going.. and still have the use of the bucket.

 

[jonsstihl]

how bout a mini work bench with a vice to hold the chain saw while sharpening

if your going through the trouble of building something make it as multi functional as possible.

 

[woody]

Looks good to me but ( you knew there was a but coming) if it were me I would build it just a little narrower than my bucket, put some 4x4 feet under it and bevel them in the back with some hooks on top for ratchet straps so it could be moved with the bucket or the SSQA or a pair of forks when and if you get some. Don't underestimate a pair of forks there handier than door knob on a outhouse.

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm confused. What's wrong with the bucket that you already have on the front of your tractor? For carrying things like your chainsaw, oil and gas, why not just put them in a plastic tote, or build a wooden box or tray to hold them all in place while they are in your bucket?

If you build that wooden thing that you drew a picture of, what happens to it you use your backhoe and put your front bucket down on the ground to stabilize your tractor while digging with the backhoe? Will it hold up to the pressure or fall apart?

 

[ruffdog]

I would not have a design that has lumber screwed directly to a ssqa plate. Long term dependability is questionable. I use my carry-all as a work platform so that is important.

 

[LukyNumbrkevin]

I'm confused. What's wrong with the bucket that you already have on the front of your tractor? For carrying things like your chainsaw, oil and gas, why not just put them in a plastic tote, or build a wooden box or tray to hold them all in place while they are in your bucket?

If you build that wooden thing that you drew a picture of, what happens to it you use your backhoe and put your front bucket down on the ground to stabilize your tractor while digging with the backhoe? Will it hold up to the pressure or fall apart?

The carry-all would be about double the size of the front bucket in volume and ideally have slots for all my hand tools, rakes, shovels, etc. So it would allow me to bring everything into the field in one 5 minute trip as opposed to three 10 minute trips with the small FEL bucket. I would also carry the FEL Bucket out to the field on the carry-all that way when I get out to the work site I can drop the carry-all, release the QA and put the FEL bucket on and get right to work. Would save 50 minutes each day, which would add up to more than 4 hours in a 7 day work week.

I would never leave the carry-all on while working with the tractor, it would be strictly used to transport tools and non-loose materials. Everything else I will use the stock bucket for.

I like the Idea of putting a work-surface on top or some sort of work bench but need to figure out how it works. I do have a stihl chainsaw vise, but I have no way to mount it as it is the type you hammer into a stump so it just has spikes on the bottom.

 

[sodamo]

Can’t quite picture how you would also carry the bucket.
Perhaps there is a way to leave bucket in place and have a way to pick up the carry all, maybe a quick attach type point on the front of the bucket.

 

[LukyNumbrkevin]

Can’t quite picture how you would also carry the bucket.
Perhaps there is a way to leave bucket in place and have a way to pick up the carry all, maybe a quick attach type point on the front of the bucket.

These images should give you a better idea of the scale of the carry-all. I put the BX FEL bucket on it so you can see the size.

 

[ruffdog]

If the wood is all 2x material, it might get a bit heavy too.

 

[LukyNumbrkevin]

I estimate about 114 ft of P.T. 2x6 conservatively at about 3.25 lbs per ft should put me at around 375 lbs of wood, plus the SSQA plate at 86lbs puts me at 456.5 lbs.

So yea current design appears to be a bit too heavy, I may need to use 1x6 for side boards. BX23s FEL can lift 613 lbs at the pin, so it seems you are right. I will need to bring the weight down on this design.

 

[EddieWalker]

These images should give you a better idea of the scale of the carry-all. I put the BX FEL bucket on it so you can see the size.

View attachment 621985

View attachment 621986

Thanks, that helps a lot. I guess I got confused because you designed it to look like a bucket. Why not design it to be more of a storage box? Put a top on the back portion of it with a lip to hold even more stuff? Maybe put casters on the bottom so you can move it around in your shop when it's not attached to the tractor.

 

[MF RED in MT]

Hi LukyNumbrkevin,

It sounds like you have a plan that will work for your needs. The only problem I see is your BX tractor only has a single hydro piston in the middle of your bucket, if I remember correctly, and the only thing I would do is to make sure the weight in your Carry-all is close to equal on both sides.

I also have a BH, but usually use my Box Blade in the summer, so I'll add some pics that I built and use to carry my chainsaw, chains, etc...

pic 1: is how I carry my chainsaw, chains, etc..., and my Poor Mans Grapple to skid logs, attached to my Box Blade.

pic 2: is my Poor Mans Grapple picking a 18' log with my bucket to cut up into rounds.

pic 3 & 4: is my Brush Forks/wood platform (that hinges up) to move piles of branches and to move wood rounds into my woodshed.

pic 5: is my Tooth Bar/Jib (Jib also connects to my Brush Forks) that are built like my Brush Forks only shorter in length.

I also try to plan out my projects, but usually I end up with a finished build from plan A + B + C + D + E, etc...

Look forward to see your finished build, KC

 

[Racenut]

Why not use plywood for the large surfaces? It's going to be thinner and lighter than 2x material and more rigid laterally, which on floor, back and ends is what you need. And yeah, no screws to connect it to the adapter plate, bolts all the way through with fender washers on the wood side.

 

[Fallon]

I'm in the pallet forks camp. Might cost more, but so worth it. My forks get more use than my bucket. Everything heavy or bulky I own ends up on a pallet now.

I have my "fencing pallet" as a carryall. I bolted some old rusty truck boxes & a plywood back to a wide pallet. Total investment is around $10. I keep it in the barn with a pile of fencing & other project tools on it. I could do a lot better, but its lasted several years on $10 & maybe an hour to build.